Mandala

 I often write about the unusual foods and eateries we have encountered. We have spent several winters in Kauai, and it is a small island, so there has not been many opportunities to report on something new. Mandala is new to us. It is located in the strange community of Anahola, which, it seems, is made from metal shipping containers. We had thought Mandala was a coffee truck and intended to stop by someday. When we finally decided it was time, we found it was quite different from what we had anticipated.

Mandala was far from a coffee shop and I am not certain you could get a coffee there. Mandala Living Foods describes itself as a gourmet café, elixir bar, and kombucha brewery. I would say high-end hippie vegetarian.

The dish closest to the camera is pad thai, which is my "go to" when eating at places like this. However, the noodles are not grain-based and was something fashioned from a vegetable - sesame zucchini noodles. Drinks were a golden milk and a coffee fix (not coffee, but something described as healthy - Our coffee alternative blend of dandelion, chicory root, and burdock root that creates an earthy aroma that's delicious warm or over ice). 

Mowing

 I have long been fascinated by the sheer mass of vegetation here and by all the work and workers required to maintain control. Guinea Grass is an invasive plant that grows in such density that a person would find it difficult to walk through an area where it has taken over. You find this vegetation along most of the roads and the equipment deployed to keep it away from roadsides has always been something I wanted to capture in a photograph. I finally had the opportunity yesterday.

Equipment such as this mower cannot always do the job, and the common guard rails that are needed beside the roads are a significant challenge due to the terrain. We used to see laborers with weed whackers clearing the grass that grew close to these barriers. Last year and much more commonly this year, they seem to have resorted to herbicides of some type to deal with this problem. I am not certain if there were environmental or financial issues with this approach in the past, but what looks like RoundUp now seems to be common.

Protect the Turtles

Turtles are a predictable visitor to many of Kauai's beaches and sometimes they show up in large numbers. As I have mentioned in previous posts, Cindy has become very protective of the turtles and seals on the beaches and gets quite irritated when "tourists" ignore the signs in their excitement to get close to the animals for a picture. I heard a lifeguard once yell at tourists and suggested they should learn to use the telephoto lens on their phone and give the animals some space. I would hate to see major portions of some of these beaches closed. 

 The issue has gotten to the point it has prompted accounts in the local paper. I doubt the message will reach those who need to be more self-aware.

Rain Event

 It rains here often, sometimes heavily. The terrain of the island also has an impact with mountains and valleys. From time to time, the combination results in dangerous situations because of flooding and mudslides that can close roads and swamp vehicles left in the wrong places. Roads can become impassible, and it is possible you can get caught on the wrong side of a bridge and be caught for a few hours or overnight.

It rained most of yesterday and through the night. About five this morning, our phones and iPads began screaming, and we were awakened to receive a flood warning. We stay on a cliff over the ocean, safe from sunamies (a different problem) and floods, but it is nice they have this system. I suppose it would be similar to warning of a tornado in the Midwest.

Chinese New Year

 We have been in Kauai to experience the Chinese New Year celebration several times. There are many Asian people who live on the islands and many visitors who fall within that general category. The celebration differs depending on whether the celebration is in a larger or smaller community. All communities are small, but some smaller than others. We experienced the Lion Dance in Princeville earlier than the celebrations in larger communities. No fire crackers. Just one dance group probably moving on to a larger celebration but stopping for a bit in Princeville. For some reason, the limitations of the event reminded me of the 4th of July in a small midwestern town. For those of us not from this region, the experience typically includes the town's fire truck, a couple of big tractors, boys and girl scouts, the high school and junior band if one existed, and perhaps a couple of local politicians riding in a convertible.

The Lion Dance includes a percussion group and a couple of "lions" moving through the crowd, scaring the kids and collecting money from the adults. In previous experiences, red envelopes were first passed around and you put your donation in these envelopes. Here you simply stuffed money in the mouth of the lion.

Income Diversity

For a small island, Kauai has significant differences in residents' financial holdings. We have always known it was a very expensive place to live, with those in such occupations finding it difficult to meet basic housing requirements, but I decided to to investigate a little more. 

We often walk down to Hotel 1, which I know is very high-end. I did some online research and found that the cost for a room per night is over $1,000. 

We like walking there because it is close, and their coffee shop has a great ocean view. Coffee is $8 per cup, and for some strange reason, a cappuccino is only $7. 

You enter the Hotel 1 from the top as it stretches down the cliff to the beach below. I find it a strange experience hanging out there, wondering about the people sitting around me in the coffee shop. No, I will be paying with my card and not putting my $8 cup of coffee on my room.

At the opposite end of the continuum are all of the homeless people. I understand that being homeless in Kauai and Minneapolis would be a very different experience in February, but I do wonder how they cover the cost of their food. There is no panhandling or people standing at stop signs with signs asking for money. The following image is fairly common. I would guess you can't live on the beach, but you see lots of tents and car "camping" on the other side of roads across from beaches,

According to my AI query:

Kauaʻi’s homeless population increased to 523 individuals in the 2024 Point In Time (PIT) Count, a 7% rise from 2023, according to the Bridging the Gap report. The count, conducted on January 22, 2024, found 464 unsheltered individuals(89% of total) and 59 sheltered individuals (11%). Unsheltered homelessness among single individuals rose to 370, while unsheltered family households decreased slightly to 22.

Key trends include a growing number of individuals with serious mental illness and chronic substance use, with 123 and 105 people identified in these subpopulations, respectively. The increase is linked to the end of pandemic-era protections, rising housing costs, and limited affordable housing. Despite this, shelter capacity has improved, including upgrades to Kauaʻi’s primary emergency shelter in 2022.

Support services are provided by organizations such as the Mana`olana Emergency Shelter (19 beds), Transitional Shelter (8 units), and the Kauaʻi County Housing Agency, which coordinates a Continuum of Care (CoC) with nonprofit partners. Advocates emphasize that actual numbers may be higher than the official count, with estimates ranging from 800 to 2,000 homeless individuals.

Kauai Coffee

We always stop at Kauai Coffee to take a look at the massive plantation and buy some coffee.  Before we came this year we had been reading online that the plantation had been having difficulty renewing its lease and was in danger of being sold. The size of the coffee farm and the infrastructure costs for all those trees and the watering system made it seem unlikely you would invest that much money without owning the land. This was evidently not the case and I was anxious to actually be there and ask about the situation. It turned out to reveal nothing I did not already know, and the workers evidently knew little or were told not to discuss the situation. I did a little AI investigating and their reticence might have been due to concern for their jobs as it seemed a new owner might be taking over.

Kauai Coffee Lease

**Kauai Coffee Company** faces imminent closure as its land lease with **Brue Baukol Capital Partners (BBCP)** is set to expire on **March 28, 2026**. The lease, covering approximately 3,100–4,000 acres of coffee land in Kalaheo, has not been renewed, leading to the issuance of **WARN notices** to all 136 employees, with terminations scheduled to begin March 14 and conclude by March 28.

BBCP, a Colorado-based investment firm that acquired the land from Alexander & Baldwin in 2022, stated it intends to **retain all employees** and continue coffee operations under new management, but has not yet finalized a plan. Despite ongoing negotiations, the company has no path forward without a lease extension, and Kauai Coffee’s leadership remains hopeful but uncertain about a resolution.

The farm, the **largest coffee grower in the U.S.**, has been a cornerstone of Kauai’s agricultural heritage and tourism since the 1980s. Local officials, including Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami and Kaua‘i County Council Chair Mel Rapozo, have expressed concern over the impact on employees and the community, emphasizing the need for stability and continued agricultural use of the land.

I did purchase some coffee. I like a peaberry when available and I knew they sold this type of bean. The cost was $37 for 10 ounces so I am saving it to drink with visitors yet to arrive. 

Nourish Hanalei

I  try not to repeat past posts, but Nourish Hanalei offers such impressive views (and food) I had to make an exception. We also ate our first Acai Bowls of the trip. The Acai berry grows on the Acai Palm which used to strike me as strange as it is very different from a coconut. 

Joe Cool

 I seldom wear sunglasses because I avoid the sun and my infrequent use makes purchasing a prescription pair kind of expensive. I have a pair somewhere that is now two prescription updates behind so I am no longer certain where they are. I recently had cataract surgery and as a consequence I can see fairly well without glasses.

I decided to purchase sunglasses because the bright sun in Kauai can be a nuisance and without prescription the cost is low. I bought them myself without supervision and Cindy said I purchased what she expected - whatever that means.

Perhaps you remember Snoppy as Joe Cool. I would provide a comparison, but I am told the Peanuts characters are copyright protected. It also occurred to me that Joe Cool might apply to Joe Biden. If so, Joe and I do have certain qualities in common.

Big Waves

We have had strong winds now for a day or so. Yesterday, the news reported sustained winds 20-30 with gusts to 60. Cindy saw Nenes trying to walk past the condo and a couple were flipped around. They did not seem to understand they could get behind a wall and escape. That would have made a great video, but I was too slow to react. It was intense. Today the sun is out, and the winds are calm, but the waves are as high as I have seen them.

It is difficult to capture large waves in a way that conveys the power and size. Video helps because it provides more of a context. I took this image outside our condo over the small inlet that appears in many of our photos. 

 

Na Pali Coast

 

We usually take one boat trip per stay to look for whales or see the Na Pali Coast from the water. The rough terrain comes down to the ocean, and this is where the road that circles the island does not exist. The cruises are expensive and can be very rough but quite spectacular. We saw whales, but the boat was moving rapidly and did not slow or pause for photos as this was more of a sightseeing trip.

One of Cindy's college friends, Margaret, has been staying with us this week and wanted to do the boat tour.

Some sites from the boat.

While it was a calm day, this photo of a nearby boat that was similar to our own kind of disappears as it enters a trough. 

Ocean sunsets often generate some spectacular photo opportunities.

Just Showing Up

 Yesterday had to be an extremely difficult day for many. A second protester was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. After the initial explanations by President Trump and other government officials, multiple videos from bystanders began to surface, proving their careless, self-protecting explanations wrong. The victim was shot multiple times in the back while pinned to the ground by multiple federal agents. Those protesting ICE and the aggressive tactics resulting in physical violence, home invasions, and false arrests of citizens of color while searching for undocumented immigrants have enraged the Twin Cities residents, and the cycle of protests and government aggression will only accelerate.

We left for Kauai just as the protests had begun, but our kids are still there, dealing with school and business closures and the general chaos. They participate in the protests to the extent they can and share our feelings about what is going on. As working citizens and with kids they are more directly impacted. You cannot escape this reality. 

We were driving through Kapaa yesterday and came across a sight that we found quite encouraging. A small group of maybe 8-9 people were holding their own protest opposing the government invasion in the Twin Cities. This small group of people were expressing their displeasure with the behavior of their government, thousands of miles away from where things were happening. They were standing in shorts and colored shirts in 70-degree heat, while those in Minneapolis were doing the same in gloves, parkas, and heavy boots. Cindy shouted that we were from Minneapolis as we drove past, and someone shouted "we love you" back. Mahalo for that.

Such is just showing up and doing what you can. 

Kauai Albatross

 I have written with photos of the Kauai Albatross previously, but have a greater understanding after attending a meeting of the local organization dedicated to the preservation of this extremely unique bird. This group of volunteers closely monitors the Albatross nests invests large amount of money in protecting these birds. The session was extremely informative, but the website mostly offers their book which is one of their sources of income. Here is the Wikipedia entry for this bird. 

The bird exhibits multiple characteristics of interest. They mate for life, but spend little time together. They remain in the air for weeks, expending very little energy (unlike, say, hummingbirds, who must eat continuously) because they kind of surf the thermals, rarely beating their wings. They swoop to the surface of the ocean to grab mostly shrimp and they can drink salt water and then expel salt through a duct on their beaks. They live for decades and lay one egg after a two-month gestation most years. They have an extreme geolocation capability that not only allows them to return to their island, but to the patch of ground where they hatch.  

There are two places the variant we see here inhabits. Kauai is the smaller location and Midway Island is the other and larger population. Midway is gradually being swamped by the rising ocean, leaving less and less habitat for the birds there, which, in a few decades, is likely to leave Kauai the only habitat. 

I could deal with the talk about the dangers to Albatross, which exhibit no fear of pretty much anything. In the protected wildlife preserves (there are three), the major nesting areas are surrounded by fencing dug into the ground. The birds we see are unprotected nesting around the golf course that surrounds where we stay. The feral cats are a constant challenge because they are everywhere.  The protectors try to trap them, but the animal shelters are no-kill and neutering the cats is the best they can do. The presenter demonstrated the naivete of the albatross, showing a video of a bird walking around a cat in a trap, trying to investigate what this strange animal was. The cats go after the chicks 

Ironically, as I am seated outside this coffee shop, a cat decides to pay me a visit. 

Vegetative Debris

 Kauai is called the Garden Island. It has some spectacular gardens which we have visited and I have photographed in the past, but the entire island is covered with heavy vegetation. I wonder what proportion of the population is employed as landscapers and gardeners. There is an emphasis on attractive outdoor environments associated with the resorts and expensive condo communities, but also the need just to clear "debris" pretty much everywhere and along any roadway. You even have to remove coconuts to prevent them falling and injuring those who pass underneath.

I could not help thinking about this reality as I walked together. We had a wind event last night, and the debris this morning was everywhere. Branches, leaves, seeds, and flowers had to be picked off the fairways of the golf course I passed, and eventually, I assume, from the roads and sidewalks.

National Hat Day

You get a bonus post today. I could not use the following content tomorrow because today is National Hat Day and not tomorrow. Just to make sure a day actually carried this association, I used the Internet (twice in one day now) and verified that there is such a thing as National Hat Day. 

I get declaring a day as National Hat Day. A guy's hats are important to him, and great care must be devoted to selecting his hat.

I brought two hats to Kauai, and each was chosen with great care. I have my workout hat that turns a funny color from sweat and can be washed multiple times and I have my "go to meeting hat" (shown above, but also below so you can see its splendor). 

We are not tourists

For some reason, in Kauai, I am sensitive to the word tourist. Tourism is obviously of great importance here as a source of revenue for the population, but we are not tourists. Some seem to say the word disparagingly.

Just to confirm that my claim was correct, I looked up the word "tourist" in an online dictionary. Tourist = the act and process of spending time away from home in pursuit of recreation, relaxation, and pleasure, while making use of the commercial provision of services. I was expecting more. Is "home" that "primary residence" thing the MAGAs are continually trying to claim Democrats have declared illegally to commit fraud? I thought home was "where the heart is". As for pleasure, relaxation, and similar experiences, I would think these are possible in multiple locations. It must then be "use of commercial provision of services," which I must admit seems ambiguous. I buy stuff and pay for help in many locations. 

Would a tourist arrive at a residence and find that his chair was right where he left it?

When he arrived, would he reach the front door and find that he knew the combination to the lock box?

Would he open his computer and find that he automatically connected to the Internet?

We are not tourists; we simply live in Kauai for part of the year. You have to live somewhere.